[Escherichia coli bacteremic urinary tract infections. Clinical aspects and pronostic factors].

Objective: To describe patients with bacteremia from urinary tract infection caused by Escherichia coli and investigate risk factors for mortality.

Method: Retrospectively study of the files of patients with bacteremic urinary tract infection caused by E. coli and admitted via the Emergency Department of the University Hospital in Nice between 01/01/1997 and 12/31/2000. Inclusion criteria included at least one blood and urine culture positive for E. coli during the first 48 hours and age above 15 years.

Results: There were 118 patients in the population (71% female). Mean age was 73 years and median age 79 years. The majority of patients (90%) were hospitalized in a medical department. Initially the clinical picture was sepsis in 80% of patients, severe sepsis in 15% and septic shock in 5%. Lethality was 16%. In 40% of cases death occurred within the first 48 hours. Risk factors for mortality in multivariate analysis were initially severe clinical status and male sex.

Conclusion: The population was aged and mortality was high for an infection presumed to be relatively benign. Age was not a risk factor for mortality, contrary to male gender.